Stable Girl
by BrutallyRomantic
Summary: A young Regina might have fallen in love once, but the older she grows the more she sees that love only gives the universe the power to hurt you. When the universe takes on the task of giving Regina a second chance at the love that was stolen from her, will she take it? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. Blah blah blah**

**AU: This story begins when Regina is still a child, a teenager, and plays on the premise that it wasn't the stable boy Daniel that Regina befriended, but a stable girl who pretended to be a boy.**

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Emma tugged at the coat around her shoulders with a grunt, an attempt to pull it closer to her to keep out the cold. Despite its age, the leather had retained some of its reddish tint and worked quite well to keep out the harsh winter weather. Said weather had been particularly bad this year, making the chores Emma dealt with when tending to the horses even more of a trial.

As she tried to keep the large jacket on her back, Emma felt her thoughts fall to her father, tending to the swans as she once had while she was still a small girl in petticoats. Those had been easier days, better days, days before her mother had passed and her father had gotten so sick that she had had to begin taking on more of his work in the stables.

Those days were gone now though, leaving Emma shivering in her father's old jacket and trousers, and boots she had had to cobble herself when the medicine her father required had taken up the majority of their savings. Gone were the days when a fire was always blazing and Emma and her father could sit and enjoy the stories her mother so often would make up entirely on her own while cooking a solid meal.

Thinking of food made Emma cringe, her stomach squeezing painfully. The last week had been more difficult than ever, her father nearly bedridden each day after the relatively easy tasks of the swan tender had been completed. Due to this, Emma had done her best with what they had, trying to get her father to eat more than she. The man had been too far in his own haze to really notice, something that caused Emma more pain than hunger ever could.

It was fortunate that the family that Emma's parents worked for took little notice of the servants, or they might have realized that the stable boy that assisted the old caretaker, now usually doing everything, was actually the little girl that used to tend the swans, thick blonde hair hidden in a cloth hat to avoid attention.

Now, tucking her hair under said hat, Emma whistled to the horses that she had never quite been comfortable around, keeping far back as they reentered the stables peacefully. The cold did have some benefits.

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It had just been another dull day until Regina had eventually decided to go out, get some fresh air, and simply enjoy the evening at the setting of the sun. She ran through the fields covered in snow near the castle, took a deep breath and closed her eyes, to try and forget about what had been said at the table earlier. Her mother, like every day, would find at least one thing a day that she wasn't satisfied with, one thing about Regina that bothered her. But Regina was not an ungrateful child, and she would apologize and nod, even though she knew the next day it wouldn't get better. She had stopped trying to get her father involved either, she was used to her mother silencing him after he'd only try to object.

Today hadn't been different. Apparently one of the table spoons had been missing, and her mother had proceeded with, what Regina had already started calling_ her daily routine_, where she'd pick out one of the servants, and punish them for their wrongdoing. While her mother was busy, her father would remain silent, or if her mother left the room, tell Regina that _she hadn't always been like that_. Regina wouldn't have known. Ever since she was a small child, her mother had told her to sit and stand straight, eat properly, and forbid her to make friends with any of the servants. Afterwards she'd tell her, "I only want what's best for you, my dear." and put on a sickening sweet, motherly smile. But even then, for years, Regina couldn't get herself to fully despise her, because well.. she was still her mother, and she believed her that a mother only wanted the best for her own child. Her mother had bought the prettiest dresses for her, gotten the best horses trained, and even if Regina thought that she overreacted a lot, she couldn't stay mad at her for long.

The fields and the stables were Regina's only escape, as she was rarely ever allowed to leave the land her parents owned, because _according to her mother_, she'd get stolen away, hurt or even killed by peasants. Regina herself did not understand why her mother had a bad attitude towards the servants, or the people working on her land; her father had once told her that her mother had been the daughter of a simple miller. Ever since then, Regina would question the choices her mother made, talk to the servants behind her back, and play with some of the children that worked on the land surrounding their castle. She didn't see a difference between herself and them, their parents and her parents, only that her mother was a lot stricter than any of theirs, and well, she had.. power.

As she got older though, her mother would keep her eyes glued on her daughter, just be around the corner as she'd start a conversation with one of the servants, correct her not once but twice, or three times a day, and leave her almost no free time.

Sighing, Regina let herself fall into the snow, and looked up into the sky. She didn't care about the cold, she'd even envy the birds for their freedom from time to time, and the only way to imitate them was for her to climb on a horse and let it gallop through the fields. The thought of riding a horse made her happy, and after lying there for a few minutes, she got up and ran to the stables - far away from the castle and her parents.

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As she entered the stables, Regina breathed in the comforting smell of the horses, and walked straight into the direction of her favourite. Petting the proud mare, she leant her head against the animal and sighed. Regina didn't notice the stranger until she heard the short whistling sound coming from farther away, and curiously, she lurked around the corner of the stall, to see who was sneaking around the stables.

Whistling again sharply for the horses still loitering, Emma scratched just underneath the back of the hat. The thing might keep her warm and hidden as a girl, but it itched more than anything and frequently was a hot irritant during the summer months.

"Come on, you silly creatures!" Emma called out, finally bringing the last horse in while half hiding behind the door. Shutting the last stall, Emma found herself talking to the horses, as was her habit when preparing their dinner. She might be nervous around the great beasts, but she had no desire to be mean to them.

"Alright, let's see what's on the menu for tonight, yes?" Reaching into the enormous bag of feed, Emma snagged a bucket and started doling out the grain mixture to each feed box near the door of the stalls. "And let's not forget dessert!" Twirling back to near the bag, Emma pulled out bales of sweet hay and threw them into the large metal hay racks near the back of each stall. It was with a grin that she noted she was now able to hit every one. When she started helping her father out, her skinny arms could barely get the hay up, but by now she had toned her arms in order to work as well as she could and not draw negative attention. As far as their employers were concerned, it was still Emma's father that did the majority of the work.

Lurking around the corner, Regina was surprised to find someone she'd never seen before in the stables. Even curiouser, the person was doing stable work and fed the horses, all while talking to them in a cheerful voice. She doubted that the stranger had anything bad in mind though, since the figure seemed to almost dance through the stalls - it made it look like easy work, and Regina knew that it wasn't. The stranger must've been used to it.

Grinning to herself, she sneaked around the corner of the stall, entering the next one so she could see more clearly. After listening for some minutes, she was sure that she'd never heard the voice before. Who exactly was the stranger, and why was he doing the work instead of the man who usually worked here?

Regina was already excited to find out more about the person, liking the fact that they were talking to her favourite animals, just like she did sometimes. They always listened and responded with a whicker or nodding of their heads. It made her feel like she had at least some company when she felt lonely, since she wasn't allowed to talk to any of her servants - and her mother couldn't really forbid her to talk to horses.

Amused, she sat down in one corner of the stall, her back facing the small barrier in between the stables. If the stranger passed by the stall, she would be able to see them first. She whistled twice, loudly, and tried to suppress a giggle. Then, she listened closely, waiting for the reaction of the stranger.

The whistle had Emma on instant alert, hands frozen in place where they had gripped the sides of the hat. She had been about to tug off the cloth and let her hair fall free, a bit of freedom she allowed herself in the barn in the afternoons since there was usually no one there. But that was no bird whistling so Emma pulled the hat harder down around her ears and pulled up her coat tighter around her body, trying to look bulkier than she really was. Far off she might be able to fool someone into thinking she was a boy, but closer up, her strong jaw couldn't fool anyone for more than half a minute or so.

"Hello?" Thanking the gods that her voice sounded just a bit rougher due to the cold she had been fighting for the last week, Emma still made an effort to lower her voice. Yes, a boy her age might not have gotten his deep voice yet, but he still wouldn't sound as much like a girl as she did. Creeping along the center aisle in the barn, Emma kept a sharp eye out for whomever had entered her safe haven, heart pounding with fear as she considered what could happen were it someone from the home she served.

Grinning to herself, Regina peeked through a thin gap between the wood, still curious about the stranger she'd just encountered. What was he doing here? And why had she'd never seen him before?  
It was also quite strange that the response to her whistles had sounded alarmed; was he afraid of something? All those questions were piling up in her head, and Regina wanted answers. But what if the stranger would simply run away the second she'd show herself?

Slowly backing away from the barrier, careful not to make too much sound while she was walking over the straw, Regina crouched down at the very end of the stall. Holding back another giggle, she tried to imitate a whicker, and waited for the reaction of the stranger.

The imitation was good, but Emma had been around horses enough to know what a real one sounded like. Besides that, she now could pin down where the sound was coming from and she knew for a fact that the stall was empty.

Emma's expression slid into one of determination, and she cared less now if the person realized she was a girl when she approached the edge of the stall, seeing as someone who was trying to mimic a horse probably wasn't supposed to be there anyway. Without any sort of weapon within reach, Emma tried to gather herself up to appear taller, needing the strong appearance as well as the courage to do what she was about to.

Rounding the corner, Emma made her voice firm to face whomever was intruding, shouting as she stomped with one worn boot. "Who are you!?"

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**Thoughts? Flames? Ideas? Share with me. 3**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

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_Rounding the corner, Emma made her voice firm to face whomever was intruding, shouting as she stomped with one worn boot. "Who are you!?" _

Looking up to the person that had just entered the stall, Regina grinned. The stranger didn't even know who she was? This was getting more curious by the second. The man who was usually working here certainly knew who he was working for.

"I could ask you the same thing." Arching an eyebrow, Regina got up from the ground and put her hands on her hips. She obviously had more reason to be here than the stranger; the stables belonged to her family. "I've never seen you here before. How come you're doing the stable work?"

Eyeing the stranger suspiciously, Regina felt that something was off about his appearance. She couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was, but she could definitely tell that the person standing in front of her was a lot younger than the man who was supposed to work here.

At being faced with a girl likely no older than her, Emma froze, mouth open. There was no one this could be other than the daughter of the house, no one who would dress so finely. This was possibly the very worst situation Emma could have found herself in, short of turning herself in to the slightly sadistic lady of the house for doing what would normally be a young man's job.

"I-uh..my father was the stable hand. He has taken ill." Words are falling from Emma's lips quickly, but hopefully not so quickly that it makes her voice high enough to notice. Crossing her arms, Emma backed away and tried to half hide under the brim of her hat, "What can I help you with, miss?" The sooner she got the other girl out of the stables, the better.

What was the girl's name? She couldn't think, remembering only once or twice when the lady of the house had scolded the other girl in a high pitched voice for speaking to Emma while she tended the swans. Regina. She could remember the haughty tone the other woman had said the name in, remembering the fear she held inside when the lady's eyes had passed over her in a haze of..not hatred, maybe disgust? It wasn't something her small self could identify.

The stranger had seemed to recognize who Regina was, addressing her as 'miss', and slowly backing off. Regina's grin grew even wider as she noticed the sudden change of the person's body language, clearly retreating and acting more subservient than anything else. "Oh, so your father is ill and you didn't inform the family of the house about it?" Arching an eyebrow, she'd now crossed her arms in front of her.

She was going to play this game a little longer; because - when was she ever allowed to speak to someone else? When did she ever get the chance of interacting with someone closer to her own age?

Trying to hold back another giggle, she took one step into the stranger's direction. "I could easily tell my mother about this, you know." Examining the person's appearance further, Regina noticed that the clothes he was wearing were clearly too big for him. Why wasn't he wearing proper clothes? He could've easily slipped on the mud with the pants that didn't seem to fit him, and been trampled over by the horses.

Regina was actually genuinely sad and worried about the fact she'd just learned. She'd liked the man working at the stables. Who knew what her mother would do the stranger's father if she'd found out. "What's your name anyway? I didn't know your father had a son."

Emma's breath caught when Regina mentioned her mother, her rebellious brain instantly concocting all of the worst case scenarios. Thoughts of her father, sick in bed in the little hut near the gardener's shack, haunted Emma.

"E-Eric. I worked in the village, and when my father took ill, I returned to care for him." Yes, it was a blatant lie, but the truth was far more dangerous. Tugging the coat sleeves down over her long skinny fingers, Emma tried to square her shoulders and look taller. If Regina stepped forward and questioned her further, she wouldn't pass for a boy,

The precarious edge where she perched was making Emma dizzy. Shuffling to the side, away from Regina a bit, the blonde tried to make an excuse. "If you'll pardon me, I should be going, the hay needs to be bundled before I can go." True, but all the hay that was needed had been bundled. Emma just wanted something that sounded relatively boring to any normal girl in hopes that Regina would go away and not ruin the little life Emma was trying to hold together.

"Ah, Eric. You should've informed someone about the situation." Regina said with her head held up high. She pushed further, but she wasn't going to be able to hold back her giggles for much longer. She also knew it wasn't nice of her to scare the boy; they all feared her mother, just like she did. She'd felt her wrath enough times, and she couldn't escape it either.

When the stranger mentioned that he was about to leave, Regina made a grimace. "No." She only realized that the word had escaped her mouth after it had happened, and she avoided the boy's eyes. "I mean.. you can't leave yet." Afraid of being left alone yet again, Regina bit her lip, and corrected, "You shouldn't leave yet."

It was obvious that her expression and body language had suddenly changed, and she shrugged. Even if he had to finish the stable work, she'd go with him. She loved to be around the horses, and maybe she could even help? She wasn't completely oblivious to how things worked, since she had watched the boy's father work here at least a few times.

"Maybe.. I could help?"

The offer to help surprised Emma more than anything, making her pause and consider. Letting Regina help would give the brunette plenty of opportunity to realize that 'Eric' was definitely not what he seemed. However, refusing might look even more suspicious.

Mentally cursing, Emma went for something better. "I..was going to polish the saddles as well. Perhaps you could help with that?" Not only would it mean that Emma could hide in the hay and keep Regina farther away on a work bench, but also Emma didn't think a small noble girl would be very helpful with physical labor anyway.

Curiosity settled in as her nerves began to calm, leaving Emma wanting to ask as to why Regina would be lurking about the stables. If Emma remembered correctly, Regina's mother wasn't the type to want her daughter anywhere near any servants.

Almost pouting, Regina expressed her disappointment. "But I thought.. maybe we could.. talk?" She couldn't have put it more awkwardly, but that was really all Regina had wanted. A simple conversation with someone, without her mother watching over her, or telling her to stop. "I.. how old are you anyway? Working the stables is hard, I know."

The clothes that didn't seem to fit the stranger were still bothering Regina, but there was something else. Eric seemed to hide underneath the hat, and she wondered why. Now that she'd found out who he was, and why he was working here, there was really no reason to be afraid. So why.. oh. "Hey Eric, I'm not going to tell anyone." The boy was probably afraid of what was about to happen after he'd leave the stables, or what Regina would tell her parents.

Regina wasn't sure how to explain the situation she was in, had she never really talked to anyone about it. There was no one she felt close to, except for her horses. After acting all confident, she now felt a bit lost.

"I'm fourteen." The age when most girls were poking their fathers to find out their dowry and begging their mothers to put one more ruffle on their nice gown to catch the attention of a certain boy. Emma was anything but a normal girl and she knew this, but the thoughts of what should have been made her voice just slightly bitter.

Turning and walking towards the end of the barn where work was done, Emma gestured to Regina. She wanted to talk..that would be difficult. Maybe.. "Why were you hiding in here?" There, a question, good enough to stall a bit..hopefully.

Emma reached and fiddled with the hat as she walked, trying to adjust it without looking too obvious, or letting any of the long blonde locks tumble free.

Smiling at the stranger now, Regina nodded. "I'm fourteen too!" Excited about her new discovery, Regina added, "We're the same age!" even though it was obvious. She never got the chance to talk to anyone her age. It wasn't going to take long until she was going to start feeling paranoid.. her mother would certainly look for her if she stayed away from home for too long.

Sighing, Regina turned to the boy, and simply answered his question. "I wasn't really.. hiding." She rolled her eyes. "I was trying to get some space. Usually, the stables are empty. Except for when your father works here, you know." Walking past the boy and out of the stall, she added, "I only hid in the stall to scare you." and giggled.

Still wondering why the boy seemed so intimidated, Regina gestured him to follow. Maybe he was really just afraid of her telling on him.

When Regina took the lead towards the work area, Emma accepted it, just relieved that the other girl wasn't looking as hard at her anymore. How much longer could she keep this up?

"To scare me? That's not very nice." Emma let the humour filter in her voice. Yes, Regina was a child, a privileged child, but so was Emma, and she was liking this chatting despite the air of danger. Regina was happy and accepting, but would she be the same if she knew Emma was not what she said? Would she go running to her mother if she knew that a girl was doing all the work in the stables and outwards?

Reaching up to the shelf where the polish is kept, Emma pushed up onto her toes, only just barely tall enough to reach the jar. Having such high shelves was often a pain, but it kept everything out of reach of the feed and such. Breathing out as she reached the polish, Emma took a look at Regina as she put the jar on the workbench and went to retrieve the saddle that needed a shine. The girl was growing, that much was obvious, but she seemed delicate in a way. Emma could only suppose that was how all noblegirls looked. If she weren't trying to pass for a boy at the moment, Emma might feel self conscious.

"How do you feel about fairytales?" Emma had started to think of the stories her mother would tell, and the few her father would while he worked and she helped. It was nostalgic and part of her couldn't resist sharing with Regina. After all, she rarely got to share with anyone who could actually speak back.

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**Thoughts? Flames? Ideas? Share with me. 3**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not OUAT blah blah blah

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_"How do you feel about fairytales?" Emma had started to think of the stories her mother would tell, and the few her father would while he worked and she helped. It was nostalgic and part of her couldn't resist sharing with Regina. After all, she rarely got to share with anyone who could actually speak back._

Grinning back at the boy, Regina shrugged. "Maybe I_ am_ not very nice." She was glad the conversation was going so well. The boy could've just ran out the stables, or maybe even attacked her. But he seemed calmer now, and she was happy that he didn't reject her offer to help.

Regina watched the stranger get the polish and one of the saddles, still wondering why he was wearing clothes that didn't really fit. It made the stranger look a bit awkward and clumsy, but the fact that it did amused Regina.

She almost didn't realize he was talking to her, lost in thoughts while she was staring at the boy. "Ah.. actually, I love fairytales." Eyes wide in excitement, Regina added, "Why do you ask? Do you know any?"

Walking over to help carry the saddle, Regina accidentally poked her elbow into Eric's side. "Oh, I'm sorry Eric. I didn't mean to." Blushing slightly, she put the saddle down on the workbench and avoided his eyes.

Emma jumped when Regina's elbow jabbed her ribs, half giggling as she was more ticklish than she used to be. She cut off the girlish noise quickly, clearing her throat and hoping her clothes were thick enough that Regina wouldn't realize it wasn't an adolescent boy's muscles she had bumped into.

"Fairytales, yeah, I was just remembering one my mother used to tell me about the swans when I was small. She said that they were the lost brothers of a princess, and she had to work very hard to save them.." Trailing off, Emma tried to remember more of the story, but she got distracted by thinking that Regina looked very much like a princess, all curls and colour and softness. Not at all like Emma's bland blonde hair that never seemed to do more than be not straight, or her washed out eyes that could never quite pick a colour. Shaking herself, she spoke again. "Sorry, I can't quite remember the rest, she used to tell me when I was upset about the swans pecking me.."

Silencing herself, Emma realized she might have just given away who she was without intending to. She spoke quickly to try and cover it up, grabbing two ragged polish cloths from the basket at the end of the work bench and reaching for the jar of polish. "Right, let's get this saddle looking good as new."

The giggle had surely sounded a bit off, and much too girly for a young boy Regina's age, but Regina didn't let the suspicion show. The voice of the boy had sounded a bit too high-pitched since the beginning.. but it might've just been the approaching voice break, right?

Listening to the boy's story, Regina couldn't help but smile. Swans had always, next to horses, been one of her favourite animals. Every time she'd sat down next to the river, she had kept an eye out for the beautiful animals, mostly ignoring the little ducks that were quacking away right in front of her.  
Once she'd even met one of the servant's children there, and she'd watched her feed them.. up until her mother had appeared and screamed at her.

Sighing, she shook her head slightly. "No worries. I loved your story, even though it was short. Maybe we could.. try and come up with another ending if you don't remember the actual ending? I love coming up with stories." Smiling at the boy, Regina nodded as Eric started to clean the saddle. She extended her hand expectantly, waiting for him to give her one of the cloths.

Staring at the end of the boy's sleeves, Regina remembered the question she'd wanted to ask him ever since she'd noticed his awkward clothes. "Hey Eric, how come your clothes don't fit you? They're too big. You could easily slip on your pants' leg and end up in the dirt, or worse, under a horses' hoof."

Emma had begun to relax a bit when she wiped down the saddle to prepare it for polishing. Regina was nicer than she expected and having someone around was a novelty Emma was enjoying. She had even been thinking about maybe seeing Regina again if she snuck out of her house, but then her clothing was mentioned and Emma curled into herself, withdrawing her hands.

"Uh..they're hand me downs. My father is a bigger man." Truth. Emma found that if she stuck to the truth, mostly, it was easier to get out. Plucking at the ends of her sleeves, the blonde glanced up and debated on what to say next. Part of her really wanted to have a friend, even if for only just now, a friend who saw the real her, the other part told her that sharing would be suicide.

"I should go home soon." Surveying the lowering light outside of the barn, Emma thought again about the swan story. "Maybe we can finish the story next time?"

Regina felt stupid. Of course they were clothes from his father. People in town often didn't have as much money to pay for things, and it would make sense that he'd wear them to further disguise himself in the stables, in case someone saw him from farther away.

She nodded, then sighed at Eric's next sentence. Regina had been afraid of Eric just leaving. If she'd let him go, who knew she'd see him again? Whatever the boy might say, there was no guarantee, and who would want to play or talk with a child that had a tyrant as their mother?

Regina had to ask. She really had no choice other than being completely honest with him. "Why.. Eric, you seem afraid. Why are you afraid of me? Is it because of my mother?" Looking down, Regina continued to rub the saddle with the cloth.

"No, I.." Emma looked down at the spot on the saddle she had been shining, wanting to tell Regina her true identity more than anything. When had been the last time she had a real conversation with someone that wasn't a horse or her father? But what would the noble do if she found out that not only was she fraternizing with a servant, but a lying female servant doing a man's job.

"Can you keep a secret?" Emma's voice was tight, nervous, but she was committed to this path. Regina's attitude so far had given Emma no reason to think she was anything like her mother, and having a girl friend was not something Emma ever expected. If she could get Regina, sweet and pretty, to be her friend, maybe some of that would rub off. She could only hope.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

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_"Can you keep a secret?" Emma's voice was tight, nervous, but she was committed to this path. Regina's attitude so far had given Emma no reason to think she was anything like her mother, and having a girl friend was not something Emma ever expected. If she could get Regina, sweet and pretty, to be her friend, maybe some of that would rub off. She could only hope._

Regina had always loved secrets. Secrets were one of the only things that could still make her smile, because if she could keep something she wasn't supposed to do or even think from her mother, she could still enjoy life. But, right now Regina felt like she had to be worried. Another secret? After she'd just found out that the boy was working here instead of his father? Was there something worse going on?

"What is it?" Curious, Regina stopped polishing, and turned to Eric. The boy seemed tense. At least she'd find out what was obviously bothering him, or making him afraid. Maybe she could even cheer him up. Was this what friendship felt like? She was sure that this had been one of the longest conversations she'd ever had with a child her age, and they'd only talked for about 20 minutes.

This was fun.

It was the moment of truth, quite literally, and Emma could almost taste her own heart with how high up in her throat it was beating. Breathing deeply to try and bank the nausea now threatening her, Emma stood up and dropped her cloth. As she struggled for words, the blonde finally summed her courage and decided against speaking.

With one smooth move, Emma pulled off her cap, letting her blonde hair tumble past her shoulders and make it quite clear what her secret had been. Looking down and away from Regina, Emma couldn't think, couldn't do anything but hope Regina would be alright with this and that she would have a new friend.

If this went badly, it could end up somewhere much worse than on the street. This could end with her at the mercy of the lady of the house. That was almost as bad a prison. But the rumours were worse.

Eyes wide, Regina stared back at _Eric_, mouth opening in surprise. "I.. I know you!" was the only thing Regina could think of for the moment. Eric.. was a girl? Eric was the.. swan girl?

She had known something about the boy had been off, but even with the high-pitched giggle, she hadn't suspected that he'd been a girl. "I.. wow! And you're doing all this work?" Amazed by the secret, Regina couldn't even think straight. There were so many questions popping into her mind, and she had to take a moment and stare at the beautiful, long blonde hair of the girl right in front of her. "I love your hair!" she said excitedly, quickly adding, "For how long have you been doing your father's work? I.. wow, I can't even fathom this, this is amazing! You are amazing!"

A friend! She would be able to make friends with a girl her age! They could talk about all the things they both liked! And quite obviously, they both liked swans and horses. Regina wanted to know everything about the girl.

For a minute the excitement was even scarier than a negative response would have been, leaving Emma wishing she could just put the genie back in the bottle. Of course, not two seconds later, Regina's joy had rubbed off on the blonde as she nearly bounced where she stood. Emma drew her hair all over one shoulder and pulled at it as she watched Regina.

"You know this has to stay a secret, right? No one can know." Emma's voice had dropped a bit, nerves making her fidget more with her hair than what would be usual. She stressed the words /no one/ when she tried to pull a promise of silence from Regina. If /anyone/ else were to find out about this, Emma was sure that the lady of the house would find out, and then she couldn't imagine the horror that would come next.

"No one." Regina responded, shaking her head in excitement. This was the very first secret she had ever shared with a friend. It was_ their_ secret. "I promise, I won't tell anyone!" Grabbing Emma's hand out of excitement, Regina now nodded. "I promise. And I also promise to help you out around here whenever I can." Holding Emma's hand with both of hers, she smiled at her. Regina couldn't take her eyes off the girl's hair. "I really wish I had your hair. It's the most beautiful hair I've ever seen."

Regina was so enthusiastic it was endearing, and the smile spreading across Emma's face was almost painful in its sincerity. Along with the smile, the combination of unexpected handholding and compliments was inducing a heated pink blush to climb clear from Emma's collarbone to her hairline. She hadn't received this sort of attention in..well, ever.

Shaking her head in denial, Emma reached out one hand to capture a few of the other girl's dark locks. "I like yours much better. Mine is all washed out and weird, but yours is just perfect." Giving compliments seemed to Emma almost the same as receiving them, and so the blush only grew stronger, though she couldn't bring herself to give up any of the contact she had with Regina.

Giggling when Emma grabbed her hair and returned the compliment she'd just given her, Regina shook her head. "No way. Yours is like a beautiful long mane!" Smiling warmly at Emma, Regina continued before the girl could deny it, "Uh.. your name isn't really _Eric_, is it?"

"No! I'm..I'm Emma." She refused to remove her fingers from Regina's hair, unaccustomed to feeling something so soft. Her breathing was coming short, she assumed nerves. It had been awhile since anyone said her name, including herself.

This was exciting. Although some part of Regina knew that this couldn't last for long, since her _controlling _mother would get in the way again somehow.. she'd pushed those thoughts away. No. This time she would have a friend, for the very first time. Someone she could share secrets with. And she would be extra careful so her mother would _never_ find out. She didn't even want to think of what she might do to the girl..

Trying to silence the worries in her head, Regina exclaimed, "I'm.. this is so exciting! I've never had a friend before!"

As moments passed, Emma felt the nerves only grow as thoughts of what the lady of the house would do to her if she was discovered tormented her. Fingers tightening in Regina's, the blonde nodded, choosing to enjoy these moments of camaraderie rather than sit in fear.

"I haven't had a friend in..god, I don't remember how long."

Pulling a grimace, Regina sighed. "My mother doesn't let me have friends. She says other children are a bad influence. Especially because they're.. she calls them peasants." Clearing her throat, she stepped away from Emma, and picked up the cloth to clean the saddle. "But your name.. Emma. That's a beautiful name." She nodded to herself, and gestured for Emma to come closer to her. "I.. now I have someone to talk to, and I don't even know what about." She giggled, "What do friends talk about, other than sharing secrets and.. helping each other do things?"

It was a naive, but genuine question. She'd spent most of her childhood alone, wishing that one day, her mother would allow and let her simply talk to someone else. But now.. she'd found someone herself, and she wouldn't let her mother take that from her.

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	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

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"_What do friends talk about, other than sharing secrets and.. helping each other do things?"_

_It was a naive, but genuine question. Regina had spent most of her childhood alone, wishing that one day, her mother would allow and let her simply talk to someone else. But now.. she'd found someone herself, and she wouldn't let her mother take that from her._

When Regina pulled away, her hair slipped from Emma's fingers, a disappointment that the blonde didn't expect. Returning slowly back to the saddle, Emma continued to polish and listen.

"I don't really know. When I was younger, my father would tell me stories of when he was a soldier." Emma couldn't keep the smile from turning her lips up at the edges. "He was a good man, but he got old..he had to become the caretaker under this household when he could no longer fight. But he took care of us. Me." Talking about her mother wasn't really something that Emma liked to do. Even thinking about her was hard, more because she couldn't remember much than anything else.

Regina's eyes were focused on the saddle, and she was trying to do the best she could. She knew her mother wouldn't approve if any of the saddles weren't as clean and shiny as she'd want them to be.

Remaining silent, she listened to what Emma had to say until she came to a stop. Grinning at Emma, she responded, "Everything you're telling me sounds like a story. You know, like a fairytale. Either you're just good at telling stories or your life is a fairytale." In comparison to her life, which was boring. She was stuck in a castle, and terrorized by her mother. Sighing, she continued, "What about your mother?" and focused back on the saddle.

Emma was in slack jawed awe when Regina compared her life to a fairy tale. It wasn't a fairy tale in the slightest, not even a normal story. Emma had to work hard every day since she was very small, and even her good days were probably not anything as good as Regina's worst.

"You must be joking. My life is not a fairy tale at all." Emma's voice grew small when she let Regina know the truth, her weakness seeping through her tone. "I've worked in the stables for such a long time, and it was very hard. I've only just gotten good at it. I've never been to school, I only know how to read because my father insisted on teaching me. I am not ladylike or poised, and I don't even have a dowry because I had to use it to get the medicine my father needed." Emma did her level best to keep her face even as she spoke, but with each thing she admitted it was like her strength was seeping away.

"How am I to have a family someday when I cannot even associate with anyone that isn't a horse?" It had been a worry that Emma had been focusing on more and more as of late, her future and being a wife and mother. That brought her back to Regina's question about her mother, but she chose not to address it.

"I do not even know how to love." It was the most painful thing to admit, but Emma could not imagine the type of love it took to be devoted to someone.

"In any case, /your/ life is the fairytale, Regina. You're like a princess! Just look at yourself."

Almost giggling at Emma's objection and her comment about the _princess'_ alleged perfect life, Regina shook her head. "You're mistaken. And really, you've heard the wrong kind of fairy tales if you think they only revolves around princesses. Most of the time it's the poorest of people that turn out to have a special talent, a special kind of skill, or learn to use magic - abilities common people do not have."

Sighing, Regina tilted her head slightly to the side and frowned. She certainly didn't overlook the fact that Emma didn't actually answer to her question. Had she simply forgotten about the question in the first place, or was the topic of her mother a soft spot for her? Trying to decide if she should ask again, Regina chewed on her bottom lip. All the questions Emma had just thrown at her kept her thinking. The girl had almost sounded desperate.. well, of course. She was doing the stable work instead of her father - and it was hard work; not at all suited for a young girl.

Regina chose to try and calm her down. "Don't worry. I think you learn to love someone passionately as you get older. I mean.. I'm not so sure myself, but.. from the stories I've heard.." Nodding at her, Regina smiled, and patted the shoulder of her new friend. "I will help you. I'll keep you company. You're my friend now.. and I think that's what friends do."

The physical contact alone would have shocked Emma, but in tandem with words of encouragement and companionship from this.. this lady, it was a little too much for the girl to handle. She could feel her face heating up and, without a thought, she flung her arms around the smaller girl, squeezing tightly for a brief moment before she pulled back and gave a nervous cough.

"Right, sorry, um.." Looking at Regina with a smile that almost hurt her cheeks, Emma gestured towards the brunette's tiny frame. "You're a little small for stable work, but I'd love it if you came here and again and talked to me."

Shyly, even though it was only in her mind, Emma thought maybe this girl might be the answer to learning to be a lady. She certainly would have learned all of the proper etiquette and other things required of a noble, so even half of that would be more than Emma was expected to know as a wife. The blonde kept this to herself however, not wanting to give Regina the impression that she only wanted her around for teaching purposes. The other girl was the first friend Emma had had..for longer than she could remember. There were the boys who helped run trade stalls in the village, but Emma had seen them less and less of them as her father got sicker. And she had never been very chummy with the other girls.

Regina was like a dream come true. A real lady wanting to be her friend. Emma pulled at her coat a little, tugging it closer as the barn grew cold. It was getting late and Emma thought of her father, he wouldn't be able to tend the fire alone, but she was reluctant to leave Regina, uncertain of when she would see the girl again.

Regina was surprised by the sudden embrace, eyes wide for a moment before the other girl pulled back quickly. When was the last time she'd received a hug, from anyone? She couldn't remember. This felt more comforting than anything she'd experienced before. Her father would only try and cheer her up with.. empty words and promises, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd received a compliment or even a tiny smile from her mother. Uncertain of what to say, Regina couldn't help but grin back at Emma, then shook her head when the other girl apologized. "Thank you."

The second the other girl commented on her height though, Regina arched an eyebrow, and crossed her arms. "Pff, too small? Please, I've never had any problems doing stable work if needed. Remember? It's the only time I get away from my.. my mother." Biting her lip, Regina suddenly threw a panicked look over her own shoulder. She'd forgotten about the time. How long had they been here for? Her mother would soon be searching for her, and she _really_ didn't want her to discover Emma's secret. Regina didn't even want to think of the consequences.

Turning to Emma, Regina grabbed the other girl's arms. "Listen, Emma. I need to go. My mother doesn't let me off for long. She.. always keeps an eye on me, and only because she doesn't like the horses and knows that usually, no one's around here, she lets me go. But we've been here for a while and she.. checks on me."

Sheer panic clung to Emma's very bones at the thought of the lady of the house finding her here, doing her father's work. She had no doubt that she would be able to then find out if the rumours of cruelty and witchcraft were really true. Emma couldn't help but wonder how true they could really be though..for a woman with such a../perfect/ daughter. Even thinking of Regina made Emma shy and so she lifted the saddle off of the table to put it away and to hide her face.

"Come back whenever you like, but don't let anyone else find out." The thought of being found out was really clawing at Emma's heart, fear choking her and making her feel as if maybe this wasn't really worth it.. But as she stowed the saddle up on the stand and brushed her hands off, just looking at Regina made her feel warm inside, cozy in a way she hadn't realized she missed. She pulled her coat around her again, suddenly a bit ashamed of her rugged appearance and shabby clothes.

She was fooling herself if she thought she could ever be a proper lady. Looking at Regina though, the smile was automatic and easy, the way it used to be, she thought if she had any chance at all then it would be through this girl. Her friend.

"You should hurry off then for supper, I have to go back and take care of father." Even though her heart ached at the thought of Regina leaving, Emma felt lighter just thinking of when she would be back.

Regina nodded, but didn't let go of the other girl's arms. She thought for a moment after Emma had mentioned her father, then looked back her. "Your father. He needs help, right? Is there anything at all that I can do? Does he need.. some kind of medicine? Herbs?" Regina found herself worried for not only Emma, since the girl was doing all the hard work, but also for her father - what condition was he in? Was he going to die if he didn't get any help soon enough? For how long would Emma be able to keep this up? Who was going to look after /her/?

Biting her lip, she took a step forward and hugged her new friend to her. "Be safe. Do not work too much, or exhaust yourself. I will be here to help, whenever I can. We should agree on a time to meet, so we don't miss each other."

Regina was hoping that her mother would let her go more often, and she was already thinking of an excuse to go see the horses every day. But.. would it be too obvious? She certainly couldn't risk getting Emma into even more trouble.

"I will figure out a way to see you at least a few times a week, okay? I don't want my mother to become suspicious and find out about our little secret." Even though she was worried, she couldn't suppress a little giggle when she mentioned the word_ secret_. She had a friend, someone to share a secret with - and as dangerous as it was, the situation she found herself in was also exciting.

Even though Regina was the same age and seemed to have some life experience, Emma couldn't help but think that she also seemed terribly naive. She was soft, a real lady, and the blonde didn't have the heart to tell her that there was nothing to be done for her father. The disease he had could not be cured by any herb, at least not anymore. Perhaps if he had gotten proper medicine earlier.. but no. It wasn't something Emma liked to think about, all she could do now was make the man comfortable.

Moving on to other thoughts, Emma was cut off by Regina's hug and returned it happily. She was already becoming addicted to the physical contact, the way Regina melted against her and blended with her in all the right ways. The only one she hugged anymore was her father, and he was almost too weak to hug back.

Pulling away from the brunette with a smile that was only half fakery, Emma thought aloud, "Maybe you could tell her you'd like riding lessons?" The horses might scare Emma but she was a decent rider. It wasn't her favorite thing in the world to do, but she could do it. And if it meant spending time with Regina.. she could certainly get used to that.

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	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

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_Pulling away from the brunette with a smile that was only half fakery, Emma thought aloud, "Maybe you could tell her you'd like riding lessons?" The horses might scare Emma but she was a decent rider. It wasn't her favorite thing in the world to do, but she could do it. And if it meant spending time with Regina.. she could certainly get used to that._

Nodding at the other girl, Regina smiled. "That's what I thought about too, you know. But I don't want her to get suspicious, or check on me around here more regularly. That would ruin the whole plan." Then she thought for a moment. Maybe she could suggest something for her mother to do, while she was out for the riding lessons, or offer to spend more time with her.. even if the thought made her pull a grimace. She was going to do this for Emma. To help. To have a friend.

"I will come up with something, I promise." Maybe if she told her mother that she wanted to become _the best _equestrian in the kingdom, her mother would let her. It was always about being_ better_ than others, and she had realized during the past years, whenever she would talk to her mother about pushing herself to become better, her mother would look at her with a grin and call her a_ good girl_. That kind of grin that would terrify other people; the servants, even her father. Regina had gotten used to it, and quite good at manipulating her mother a little bit when it came to scenarios like that. She had to be careful not to overdo it though, or her mother would get suspicious.

"I think I have an idea. I'll tell you tomorrow if it worked, alright?" She reached out and squeezed Emma's hands, then let go and turned around. "Get some rest, Emma."

Emma fled fairly quickly when the other girl released her, almost running the two miles to the caretaker's hut where she found the fire nearly dead. Her father was asleep and only taking shallow breaths, the thin soup Emma had left for him sat untouched.

Sighing with worry, the girl pulled the covers back up over the shivering man and stoked the fire back to a nearly roaring blaze. This was how it had been for the last week. The man was hardly conscious, reaching the end of the plague cycle. Emma had been throwing herself into work lately if only to escape the terrible reality that she soon would be an orphan.

Unable to wake the man anymore, Emma merely took a cloth and washed his face and hands before tucking him back up into the bed with a grim expression. She wouldn't cry. She hadn't cried since the death of her mother, she refused to cry now.

Curling up on the thin rug in front of the fireplace, Emma took off her father's old jacket and bundled it up to use as a makeshift pillow. She would dream of brunette ringlets and princess dresses tonight.

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Regina had fed the story of becoming the best equestrian in the kingdom to her mother successfully, even if the older woman had pulled a grimace for a moment. Of course she would, and Regina had expected it, because she knew her mother didn't like horses much. But the second Regina had mentioned that she wanted to become _the best_ at riding, and_ better than anyone else_, she'd seen her mother smirk. At that point she knew she'd done it. Her mother had let her go, and with a big grin on her face, Regina had stormed out of the castle.

Regina had never in her life expected to like _something_ - or in this case - _someone_ more than her horses, and the freedom that came with them. But she'd found a friend in the little girl that worked at the stables, and all she wanted to do was talk and play with her, as long as she could. Even if the time was limited, they could meet every day now that Regina had an excuse for staying away longer.

"Emma! Emma! I'm here!" Regina yelled after she'd opened the door to the stables. Was she early? She wanted to share the news with her friend immediately, and now that she'd thought about it, maybe they could even go riding together. If they decided to ride over the meadows behind the hill and near the forest, they could always hide before someone would actually see them; including her mother. That was, if she didn't appear right in front of them.. but at the moment, there was no reason for her to follow Regina around - she knew where Regina was, and what she was doing. Well, what she was_ supposed_ to be doing.

Emma had been up half the night with her father when the coughing fits had started. That was always a sign of the beginning of the end and it made her ache to see the dingy white handkerchief clutched in the man's palm turn slowly red with spotted blood.

As a result, Emma was dragging in the morning as she released the horses into the pastures and began to muck out the stalls. She had half fallen asleep leaning on the rake when the yell rang out clear and pure. For a half second she panicked when she heard her name, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she recognized Regina's voice.

"Over here!" Emma called out from the third stall in, pausing in her work to let the girl dash over. She sounded fairly ecstatic, so Emma could only assume that the lady of the house had assented to their plan. Despite how happy she should be, Emma just felt tired. But Regina wasn't ready for such cruelties of the world. She would put on a happy face, though it wasn't hard when the brunette's face lit up her world.

"Hey Emma!" As soon as she could make out where the other girl was standing, she ran over to her and gave her a warm hug. "My mother believed me! The only thing we need to worry about now is me_ actually _getting better at riding, or she will get suspicious." She giggled for a moment, but after embracing Emma and looking at her face, her smile faded. "Are you okay? You don't look well."

Of course, the other girl hadn't looked her best yesterday either, the stable work was exhausting, but today.. she looked even worse. Tired, with dark circles under her eyes. Regina's mood dropped immediately - she was worried for her new friend. Had something happened? The first thing that came to her mind was her father. Was he feeling worse? Didn't they have enough to eat?

Regina almost felt bad for feeling happy, had she not considered how the other girl was feeling, or how she would manage continuing to work the stables on her own. "I.. I told you, I'm going to help! You don't have to do all the work on your own, I promised!"

It was entirely Regina's energy that gave Emma the boost she needed to pretend she was okay. Pasting a brighter smile on her face, the blonde straightened up to do her very best to convince the other girl that she was as well as she could be.

"I don't think you want to help with mucking stables." Emma actually released a genuine chuckle when thinking of Regina tromping through the dirty hay to clean out the horse dung, it just didn't fit. "Why don't you go get one of the leather halters from the storage room and we'll rub it warm before putting it on one of the mares."

Emma had already been considering which horse to teach Regina on and decided on using two of the older mares. They would be easier to learn on and not near as easy to spook. Neither Emma nor Regina would have to worry about either horse bucking them or going off the path.

"Of course I do. I've done it before!" Once. She had done it once. Years ago. Pouting at Emma, the other girl wasn't so sure if she could believe her smile. Something was going on, and she was going to find out why. But right now, she would act like she hadn't noticed anything. She really didn't want to scare the other girl off, or make her uncomfortable.

Sighing at the other girl's request, she whispered, "Fine." and put the rake back where she'd found it. Did Emma think she couldn't do the stable work? "I'm going to show you. I've been to the stables enough times to know what must be done. Don't underestimate me!"

Running over to the storage rooms, Regina picked up one of the leather halters, then turned around quickly. But she stopped right at the entrance. "One?" she said to herself, then went back to pick up another one.

She returned to Emma, who was still mucking out the stables, and grinned. "I got us two of them. You're riding with me, aren't you?"

Emma had dearly hoped that Regina wouldn't catch on that she only wanted to walk along today, being so tired could be dangerous on a horse, but she merely nodded. Arguing with Regina wouldn't be good for their friendship, right?

As she finished cleaning the stall, Emma warmed up a little and worked on waking herself to be alert enough to really teach.

When she completed the job, she joined Regina where she stood and took one of the halters and grabbed a cloth from the wall where they hung.

"Alright, so you just start rubbing the leather to loosen and warm it up, okay? We wouldn't like cold things on our faces, so I don't think they would either."

It was more of a stalling technique and a sort of quirk Emma had picked up when trying to stall learning to ride herself, but the horses always seemed a little easier to harness when she did this first, so the habit has stuck.

"What do you know about riding?"

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	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT blah blah blah

A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who has read/followed/favorited and reviewed this story so far. I really appreciate all the love! On an unrelated note, I also take requests, so feel free to throw out any prompts that you'd like!

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_"What do you know about riding?"_

Regina nodded in excitement, since she'd never done what Emma was asking of her right now. She walked over to one of the tables where they'd cleaned the saddles yesterday, put both halters on it, and started rubbing them between her hands to warm them up. "Cold halters are not okay. Understood." The next question was not easy to answer, and Regina could feel her face warm up. "I.. I'm not completely clueless. I know how to control a horse. I use my legs.. and I talk to them." She was convinced her response had been a good one, and she smiled.

While she was preparing the halters, Regina turned around to look at Emma. She still didn't look happy, nor excited about the fact that she was going to teach Regina about riding. Had she done or said something wrong? The smile she'd received earlier had felt kind of weak, and Regina was really starting to worry. But how could she approach Emma? She'd never learned how to handle a situation like this.

"Hey Emma? You like me, right?"

She wasn't aware that she'd sounded a bit awkward, but she was only trying to be a good friend. It had only been a day, and she didn't want to lose Emma. She was going to try and do everything right.

Regina's gentle soul seemed to bring life to Emma's, the innocent way she conducted herself was a balm on a wound that Emma hadn't realized was there. It was beautiful and the blonde didn't feel she deserved it, though pushing Regina away was the farthest thing from her mind. She wasn't sure how she would survive something so lifegiving suddenly disappearing, even though it had only been two days.

"What?" It was a startling question, so blunt in its naivety and Emma knew she would have to get used to this quickly. As much as the answer was obvious to her, Emma didn't know how to approach it for several long seconds before deciding on giving Regina exactly what she seemed to give so easily, outright and pure truth.

"I had forgotten a long time ago what it was like to really like someone, and I like you even more than that." Emma couldn't be sure why she felt the heat creeping up into her face, it was the truth, but she pressed on in spite of it. "You make my life really nice and it's only been two days, I don't ever want you to go away."

She couldn't squeeze out any more words with how her throat was closing up, so Emma returned her eyes and full attention to rubbing the halter vigorously between her fingers, afraid that somehow she might have scared the little girl off.

Regina hadn't expected an answer like that. Emma's response felt heavier and more serious than she'd even meant the question. She had only wanted to know if something about herself had bothered Emma, and now.. she wasn't sure how to respond to something that had almost felt like a confession to her.

But with that, she also knew that it wasn't anything concerning herself. Something else was wrong. Something else was troubling Emma, and she just had to ask.

"I.. uh, thank you. I've never had a real friend before, and it feels so wonderful to talk and play with you. But tell me, is something bothering you? I was asking because.. you seem a little off today. Did something happen?"

They were friends. Friends should trust each other, and even though Regina didn't want to make Emma uncomfortable, or push her.. she had to know what was going on. She wanted to make Emma smile. And not only see the weak smile on her face that would fade immediately when Regina turned around. She wanted a genuine smile. She wanted her to be happy.

"Whatever it is, I promise, I'll try to help or make it better. I will help you with all the work! Next time let me muck out the stables! I want you to take a break. You know what? You sit down right now, and I'll do everything for you today."

She spoke so quickly because she was nervous, and not really sure what she was supposed to say. Then, with a determined look on her face, she nodded at Emma and held up the halter she had in hand.

It was such a rare experience, this care that was heaped upon Emma as if it were something so easy to give. No one had taken care of her since her mother died when she was small, not really. The blonde's throat ached with how she was trying to hold back the tears with each word that fell from Regina's lips.

Emma wasn't good enough for this type of purity, this sort of light. She didn't deserve anything from the little brunette and now she was even offering to do her work. Her sore body begged her to accept, her fragile soul threatening to break. She wanted more than anything to give in to Regina's care and attention and bask in the beauty that she was sure she would lose.

Nothing good ever lasted.

These thoughts had the tears slipping from Emma's eyes and dripping down her cheeks against her will. She still hadn't looked up at Regina and now she couldn't, speaking in a low voice that couldn't do much more than almost stay steady.

"I'm just tired. I'll be okay. Really. I..I can't let you do that work, you'll mess up your clothes and. and.. you're a lady."

Regina giggled at the response of her friend, and as she shook her head she began to respond, "It doesn't matter if I'm a lady, I can do.." but she stopped the moment she realized that Emma had started crying. Dropping the halter onto the table, Regina walked over to her friend and pulled her into a hug. Words weren't needed right now, Regina just wanted to show Emma that she would be there for her. All that mattered was the hug. She wanted to comfort her and make it okay. Forever.

As the minutes went by, Regina pulled Emma closer to her. She didn't want to let go. It was a new feeling, something completely strange and out of this world. Being close to Emma felt warm and safe, and like she could forget about anything else in the world.

"Emma, I'm here for you. Whatever it is you're sad about, I promise I will be here. I will always try and help you. You're my friend."

She wasn't sure if those were the right words, and if they would help make Emma less sad, but she had to say something after a while. Regina wasn't going to ask her yet though. If Emma wasn't comfortable with talking, she was going to accept it.

The important thing was that she could be there for her.

The minute amount of control that Emma had been maintaining crumbled the moment Regina pulled her close, opening the floodgates for her tears. She couldn't remember the last time she had cried like this and now she was even in front of somebody.

Emma felt weak and terrible and stupid, but more than any of that she felt safe. The brunette was a little shorter and yet somehow she managed to envelope Emma in her arms like magic, holding her in a way that she prayed would never end.

Tears of exhaustion turned sorrow flowed readily as Emma lifted her arms and squeezed Regina, pulling her as close as physically possible. Never had she had someone care enough without reservation that wasn't a parent and now she knew she couldn't let her go.

After all, it would probably be no more than a week before Emma would be alone in the world. She would need Regina more than ever.

"Regina.. my papa is going to be gone soon." The words were muffled where Emma nearly mouthed them into the smaller girl's neck, but they were clear. Her voice broke a little as she finally admitted this out loud.

Regina had listened to Emma crying for a while now, and she hoped that hugging her was helping at least a bit. But the other girl didn't let go, and that had to mean that she was doing at least _something_ right.

When Emma whispered into her ear though, Regina didn't know what to do. How to respond. She didn't know what people said in moments like this. She had no clue how to comfort someone who would lose someone they loved to death. She doubted that _any_ words could make Emma feel better.

Feeling sad as well as desperate for her friend, all Regina could do was pull her even closer. She wanted to be there for Emma, even if she didn't know how to. Biting her lip, Regina tried not to cry, but it was too late. The tears were there and they were rolling over her cheeks. As slowly as she could, she took a deep breath.

"Emma.. I.. I'm going to try and.. I love you."

She couldn't form a proper sentence, and she only hoped that Emma would understand. Regina was trying to express how important her friend was to her, and that she was going to be there for her no matter what.

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	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

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_"Emma.. I.. I'm going to try and.. I love you."_

_She couldn't form a proper sentence, and she only hoped that Emma would understand. Regina was trying to express how important her friend was to her, and that she was going to be there for her no matter what._

Emma tore away from Regina's arms in shock, jaw agape as she processed the impossible words. Love..love? That couldn't be right, couldn't be true. No. It was a trick of sound, Emma couldn't have heard right.

"You..what?" Even in her disbelief, the blonde sounded hopeful, daring to think that maybe Regina meant it. Her heart beat hard against the inside of her ribs.

Smiling at Emma when she pulled away, Regina was oblivious to what had seemed to shock the other girl. She was just happy to hear her say something, and repeated her words all innocently, "I love you and I'm going to be here for you forever." She took the look on Emma's face as a sign of confusion, maybe she hadn't heard what she'd said, maybe Regina had muffled it into her shoulder.

"I.. honestly, I'm not sure what to say. I'm not going to pretend everything's going to be alright. It's awful to lose someone you love, I don't even want to think about losing my father.. or my mother." Even though she didn't agree with her mother a lot, she was still.. well, her mother. Of course she'd thought about only living with her father, but.. she wasn't going to mention that in front of her friend who was about to lose the only parent she had.

"But what I'm trying to say is.. I'm here for you, Emma. Even if I don't mean close to what your dad means to you."

If only there was something Regina could do. Sometimes, she secretly wished she could do magic like her mother, and use it to do good.

Love so freely offered, and by someone so innately good, was not a reality in Emma's world. She was loved by her father, she was casual acquaintances with the boys in the village if only to hopefully make herself appear like enough of a lady to be worth courting when the time came oh so soon, but this sort of friendship.. This was an experience that Emma didn't even know existed and it was overwhelming.

"You mean it?" The blonde's voice was a whisper, as if speaking too loud would chase away Regina's confession. "Y-you love me? But..but you hardly know me." The last thing she wanted to do was convince Regina that love was impossible, but it was natural to be scared after such an easy confession of something that seemed so hard, so scarce in Emma's world.

"Of course I mean it! You're my friend!"

With a big smile on her face, Regina nodded at Emma and pulled the other girl's hand into hers. She had always wanted to share happiness and fun with someone else. And being happy together meant that people loved each other, right?

"And we have all the time in the world to get to know each other more, Emma. We're friends now and we'll be able to see each other almost every day, isn't that great?"

Regina had decided on distracting the other girl, and really, right now, she didn't have any difficulties with that, because she was genuinely happy to be around making Emma happy meant that she had to be around her more, Regina would take it. She didn't like to see her friend sad, but she was also happy that the girl seemed to open up a bit, even though they - like Emma said - barely knew each other.

However, Regina had felt a connection to Emma the first day they'd met, and she would do anything to make her new friend feel better.

"I want you to be happy, Emma."

The sweet honesty in Regina's words and manner still seemed surreal to Emma. Companionship was a rare concept and the blonde was still trying to figure out exactly how it all would work. Yes, she could give Regina riding lessons, but what if somebody saw and discovered her secret? She would be punished, most likely by Regina's mother.

Even thinking about the woman made Emma's skin crawl. The sort of terror that she associated with the woman was certainly common among the servants.

The moment that Regina confessed that she wanted Emma to be happy, the blonde pounced on it and asked the question that had started burning in her thoughts.

"I'm teaching you to ride,..so do you think.. do you think you could teach me to be a lady?" To anyone else, the request would have seemed like a servant trying to raise her social status in some way, but for Emma it was about survival. Without a husband, she would be looked down upon and sufficiently end her family line.

Emma could feel the blood rushing to her face, colouring it a pinkish blush. What if Regina laughed at her? Squeezing the hand that held Regina's, Emma hoped against hope that the pretty brunette would agree.

Emma's request made Regina smile even brighter - as long as she could do something to make her friend feel better, she would, and since her mother had tormented her with all kinds of rules of how to be a lady, it was one thing Regina _could_ teach Emma. It made her feel less useless already.

"Of course I can. It's one thing I know at least_ something_ about." It felt a little bit strange to Regina though; she'd tried to get away from the life her mother had wanted to force her into for a while now; and that had included acting like a lady. Her mother had been strict with her, and Regina knew exactly how she was supposed to behave, but to her all of it felt _too strict_. It was one of the reasons she came out here. For freedom.

Still, even if it didn't feel important to her, it seemed to be important to Emma. Or at least the other girl was curious about it. "You know, my mother would prefer to see me ride side saddle, but I explained to her that I want to actually have some skill in riding fast, or jumping over things." Giggling, she added, "Acting and looking like a lady even on a horse. Maybe we should train that, too, if only to appease her."

Regina felt better now that she'd distracted the other girl from what _was_ going to happen to her father. The world was cruel, she knew. But as long as there was something to enjoy in life, they could get through. Being around Emma made her happier, and she felt excited every time she thought about her - it was a completely new and strange feeling. It made Regina want to protect the other girl as much as she could.

Emma was elated. If someone had told her just a few months ago that she would have the daughter of the Lady of the house as a friend, she would have assumed the plague was rotting away their brains.

Suddenly Emma was stricken by the funny image of Regina riding side saddle. She never really understood the appeal despite how popular it was among the ladies. However, Emma supposed that Regina was a lady and therefore learning to ride in a dignified manner was no doubt very important.

On the other hand, Regina should know how to ride in more ways than one. If she ever needed to ride for a long amount of time, side saddle wouldn't cut it.

Emma pushed her father from her thoughts for a minute so that she could focus solely on Regina. There would be time for tears later.

"That sounds like a good idea. We need to rub down the english style saddles first though, both on top and underneath, that way the horses remain as comfortable as they can be."

Emma turned to pull down two english riding saddles then reached up for two cloths to wipe down the saddles of dust and other debris.

Everything felt surreal, dreamlike. Though, Emma thought, if this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

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	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

A/N: I just want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited and subscribed to this story so far. Much love for all of you!

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_Everything felt surreal, dreamlike. Though, Emma thought, if this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up._

Regina sighed, and pulled a grimace. "Rubbing down saddles all day. I want to ride!" Surprised by her own words, she covered her mouth with one hand. That had definitely sounded conceited. "Sorry, I.. I didn't mean that. I'm just.. a bit impatient sometimes." Embarrassed, she looked away from Emma.

The horses had to be comfortable, of course, that was the most important thing. But then again.. "Emma, I've seen people ride without a saddle! Can we try that too, some time?" She was excited now, and there was no stopping her. Regina wanted to be on horseback _now_, and ride through the fields.

She was daydreaming now, about riding, and flying..being free, but when she looked back at Emma, she got pulled back into reality. It wasn't fair. It was as if two dreams were coming true for herself, and Emma was stuck in a nightmare. Regina had a friend for the very first time in her life, and she was going to learn how to ride properly - and Emma? She was about to lose her father; and then she would have to continue working in the stables.

Biting her lip, Regina reached out and pulled Emma to her. "Life isn't fair. I want to share my happiness with you. So if there's anything I can do to make you happy, please tell me."

Emma was silent for a moment as she started wiping down one saddle. It appeared that Regina was still a noble inside. The blonde wasn't going to hold a grudge against her by any means, Regina just didn't know any better.

"Wiping down the saddles is an important step. That's when you check for twigs, burrs and anything else that could have gotten stuck under the saddle. Think of it like this. Would you want to walk around with something sharp in your shoe all the time?"

Continuing without waiting for a response, Emma was once again drawn in by Regina's eagerness.

"How about we try that after you get the hang of trotting, cantering and running on a horse? Bareback /is/ fairly fun, but it's also harder because you won't have stirrups."

Regina shook her head in embarrassment at Emma's question, then sighed when the other girl told her that bareback riding was even harder than normal riding. "But it looks so natural, I've seen it. I want to feel connected to the horses. They're my favourite animals." With a small grin on her face now, she began to help Emma rub down the saddles.

Even though Regina knew she was of higher class than Emma, she felt like the other girl could teach her so much more than she herself knew. Sometimes she'd felt like a bird in a birdcage, locked away, unable to learn anything about the world outside. The thought of that made her not only sad, but angry - mostly at her mother.

"You're so clever, Emma. I don't know much about the world. Sometimes it feels like I know nothing, because I'm never allowed to go out and experience life away from our grounds." Trying to clean the saddle as perfectly as possible, she added, "When we're older, I want to ride out and have adventures with you. Wouldn't that be great?"

How could Emma say no? There was something about Regina that drew her in and made her want to keep the brunette happy. Emma is already smiling when she nods her assent. "It's a deal. You can be the fair maiden and I'll be her majesty's royal guard!" Emma had often imagined herself as a proper lady with dresses and a house and a family, but then there was Regina. The blonde couldn't be sure when it happened or how it had happened so swiftly, but now she imagined herself a lady knight bravely defending a Regina captured by a dragon or some other form of vicious beast.

"Don't you worry, we have all the time in the world to have adventures and I promise, we'll make them some really good ones!" The worry that was an almost constant curdling sensation in her stomach had calmed noticeably in Regina's presence the last couple of days. She never wanted to let that go.

Finishing wiping down her saddle, Emma reached up and twisted her hair up on top of her head and tucked it all under her hat. "I'm going to go get the mares we'll be riding, alright? Just finish that up and we can go ride in the pasture so I can show you how to do some simple things like trotting, galloping and cantering."

Stepping out from the stall where they bathed and groomed the horses, Emma left Regina to finish with the saddle and led her favorite gray and black quarter horse from her stall then slipped the harness onto the pretty mare. Once she had her horse saddled and ready, Emma turned to help Regina saddle hers. The mare that Emma had chosen to teach Regina on was a little older than average riding horses, and well mannered.

Regina giggled at the way Emma had just called her the _majesty's royal guard_, and it made her happy that she was agreeing to everything she'd suggested. She was sure that her new friend would be the best teacher. "How do you know all this? Did your father teach you?"

Regina wanted to curse herself the second she'd mentioned Emma's father. Why did she have to be so damn curious all the time? Shaking her head quickly, she looked down at the saddle and started rubbing furiously, if only to let out the anger at herself. Now Emma would be reminded, and all sad again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.." She was awful at this. Awful at conversing and being a friend.

If only her mother had allowed her to have a friend before Emma, at least she would know how to act her best. And she wanted to be her best in front of her new friend. She wanted not only to share every single one of her secrets with Emma, she also just wanted to.. talk to her whenever she could. She wanted to stare at her and her beautiful blonde hair all day, and when Emma hid it under her hat she almost felt a bit disappointed.

Of course she'd pictured Emma in shining armor the moment she'd called herself the royal guard, and somehow, Regina liked the idea of that. "You know, you're more of a lady than I am. You always seem to know what exactly to say or do."

Though Emma had slowed, a little stunned, at the mention of her father, she put forth an effort not to let the conflict inside show on her face. "Yeah..he taught me when I was small." Shaking her head and waving a hand in Regina's direction as if brushing off the apology, Emma forced her smile back and led the chestnut mare towards the girl.

"This is Lily. She's really sweet, I'm sure you'll do well together." Regina's last comment actually pulled a real laugh from the blonde. Emma? A lady? Hardly.

"I'm just good at keeping my head down. You learn not to get noticed when you're doing work not meant for a girl. If I was caught doing my father's work, we'd both be flogged." The thought had terrified Emma when she first started covering for her father, the man wouldn't survive a flogging. But now, Emma was comfortable with her daily routine and confident enough that she could pass for an adolescent boy.

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	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT blah blah blah

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"_I'm just good at keeping my head down. You learn not to get noticed when you're doing work not meant for a girl. If I was caught doing my father's work, we'd both be flogged."_

Regina was relieved that Emma had more or less ignored what she'd said, since she didn't go further into detail. One day she would be able to ask her more about her past, but now was not the time. She was afraid of making her cry again, and that was the last thing Regina wanted.

"I know most of the horses' names!" she exclaimed, excited, when Emma mentioned the name of the mare. Smiling again, she nodded at the horse, and walked over to Emma.

"No, really, I mean it. You know what to say and how to behave. I bet you'd even be a better _lady_ than me. It's more to do with attitude than anything else, trust me." Putting her hand on the horses' nose, she looked up and into Lily's eyes. Big, beautiful eyes. Regina decided to lean against the mare a bit, then continued, "Flogged? I'm sure my mother could think of worse things. She can do magic, Emma." Pausing, Regina closed her eyes and listened to the mare breathing slowly. "But I'm not afraid. I'm going to keep you my secret. She will never know, I promise."

With every moment that passed, it was ever clearer to Emma that Regina was certainly naïve. Any girl who had seen more of the world would have looked down on Emma. Even the girls in town who were only marginally better off than Emma would look down their noses at her when she was in the market. The expressions they wore looked as if they had smelled something bad and Emma had learned to keep her head down and trade for what she needed before almost jogging the mile back to town.

But even though she knew that Regina was certainly wrong, Emma couldn't help the pleased smile from curling the corners of her mouth upwards at the compliment.

That pleasure was banished faster than Emma thought possible when Regina's words sunk in. Magic.

"Magic? Wha…but.. That's.." The blonde couldn't find any words to articulate her terror as it had gripped her heart and left her tongue feeling heavy and useless in her mouth. She didn't need words to convey her fear however, the rapid breathing and wide eyes doing plenty to reveal what she held inside.

Ever since she was small, Regina had known that her mother could do magic. She'd grown up with it, and to her it was - yes, scary sometimes - but also normal. Seeing the reaction on Emma's face, she bit her lip.

"No need to worry. At least, not now." Regina was aware that there'd been rumors, some servants had of course, seen what Cora could do, and they'd carried the secret into the village. The day her mother had found out, she'd heard screams out of some of the rooms in the castle, and then never seen the servants again.

Sighing, Regina stroked the mare's nose. "My mother has done awful things, she's a strict woman, but she's also taught me to be a lady. She always only wants my best, Emma." Sometimes, she wasn't even sure what _the best_ meant, but Cora was still her mother. Turning to Emma, Regina shrugged. "What do you think about magic, Emma? Have you ever seen someone who could do magic?" Then paused and quickly added, "It can be beautiful, really." She didn't want to scare Emma off.

As long as she was behaving accordingly, and wouldn't be outside for too long, her mother wouldn't suspect a thing, Regina thought. Of course, thinking of her mother finding out about not only her friend, but also that she was a girl and working the stables, was horrifying. "I would never give away your secret, _our secret_, Emma."

Emma was at a loss for words when it came to how cavalier Regina seemed to be about magic. Sure, some of the boys in town would tease her and say that the witch was going to creep into her hut at night and gobble her up, but the blonde had always brushed that off as merely a rotten nickname to go along with Lady Cora's terrible reputation for cruelty. To hear that the woman was really and truly capable of magic just made the rumors that much more terrifying.

A whinny from one of the stallions a few stalls down startled Emma from her shocked daze, causing her to jump as if the lady in question had just appeared.

Blinking quickly a few times, Emma forced her breathing to even out as black spots began to creep into the corners of her vision due to her hyperventilation. Breathe, Emma. Deep breaths. After a moment of reminding herself to take each breath slowly, Emma found herself capable of forming words once more.

"Is she..does she…?" The blonde wasn't even sure what she was trying to ask, all of her thoughts were like a twisted jumble of string. She couldn't find the beginning or the end of any coherent sentences until she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if to clear it of the mess inside. "I've never seen magic, no. Not real magic." The blonde added the last thing as an afterthought when she remembered the supposedly magical doctor that her father had spent almost all of his savings on when Emma's mother was on her death bed. The man had claimed he possessed fairy magic and had sprinkled some sort of powder into a cup of tea, telling the woman to drink it while he chanted.

It hadn't worked, and Emma had found out not much later that the same man had been going from town to town spreading his fake dust and giving false hope to the dying for a hefty sum. Emma thought forever afterwards that that was what had broken her father. Since then his health had continued to deteriorate.

Though Regina promised to keep their friendship a secret, the fear still gnawed at the blonde's insides and left her feeling vaguely sick to her stomach.

Now she had a choice to make. Was having a friend, lady or no, worth risking torture and a slow death at the hands of the purportedly sadistic and apparently magical Lady of the house?

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